Packaged insulating bats and method and apparatus for making them



March 5, 1957 D. A. BRIDGES ETA!- PACKAGED INSULATING BATS AND METHODAND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 21, 1953 IN VENTORJ' 114512117925. JHEUHRAN U BY AND WWKUEJYN W VW ATTYS- "E I I March5, 1957 D. A. BRIDGES ETAL 2,783,837

PACKAGED INSULATING BATS AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THEM 6Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed May 21. 1953 N INIUH n M m m N I lzABmb rs. JHEUHHAN.

y AND WWKUENN W"! W JTTYS.

March 5, 1957 D. A. BRIDGES E PACKAGED INSULATING BATS AND METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING THEM 6 Shqgts-Sheet 3 Filed May 21, 1953 INVENTORSm .HAEHJIJEES, .ZJZLURRAN I BY AM HI WKUEJYN 1: L: V M

ATTYS.

March 5, 1957 0. A. BRIDGES ETAL PACKAGED INSULATING BATS AND METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING THEM '6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 21, 1953 8A v. MAw mm A V .K mHW u 5 T i 0 E 1 m m my 7 B 0 A A A w 9 d 6 8 7 M |HUN HHIM l 9 6 ML M \1 4 WW l Q A a a A j 1 E M i: 3 TFF March 5, 1957 D. A.BRIDGES ET I- PACKAGED INSULATING BATS AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FORMAKING THEM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 21, 1953 INVENTORS .ZZABHJDEES,JR. [URBAN BY ANB W I/IZKUENN.

ATZ'YA'.

March 5, 1957 D. A. BRIDGES ETAL PACKAGED INSULATING BATS AND METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR MAKING THEM 6 Sheets-Sheet .6

Filed May 2.], 1953 STARTER IE'll' IN V EN TOR-S BAP/12117555, 1225mmUnite This application is a division of Serial No. 69,812, filed Jan. 7,1949, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to insulating bats and the process and apparatusfor making them, and particularly to packaged fibrous bats such as thoseused for thermal and acoustic insulation and to the process andapparatus for making the packages of bats.

At the present time, insulating bats in the form of loose fluffy massesof mineral wool or other fibers are packaged for shipment in cartons orbags. The bats are most usually cut from an advancing continuous Web ofthe fibers on a conveyor and as the bats are cut from the mat they arestacked in the carton or stacked and the stack slipped into a bag.

This method of packaging the smaller bats by putting them in cartons orbags consumes considerable time. Additionally the cartons and bags areexpensive and the packages are bulky and wasteful of space intransportation and storage. Blankets or long mats of insulating StatesPatent material have been satisfactorily packaged by being rolled onthemselves and wrapped with paper. However, it was not possible to rolla number of bats, that is, pieces of say one to ten feet in length, andwrap them with paper because it was impossible practically to combine alarge number of short pieces into a roll.

It is an object of the present invention to'provide an improved packageof insulating bats.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple andeconomical package that is convenient to use and from which theindividual bats may one at a time as required.

Further objects of the invention are to provide pack-' ages ofinsulating bats that reduce the handling necessary in making up thepackage and laterin removing the bats from the package, that conservepaper and cartons used in packaging the bats, and that are exceptionallycompact,

be removed with consequent saving of space in storing and shipping.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple andefiicient process and apparatus for making-packages of insulating bats,and by which the handling of the bats duringlpackaging is greatlyreduced;

It is still another object of the invention to provide apparatus formaking packages of insulating bats that will operate rapidly to formbats of the proper'size and place them in the proper relation in thepackage.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an apparatusthat may be set quickly to make packagesv of difierent sizes havingtherein different numbers of bats and bats of different sizes.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and claims, and from the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view of a manufacturing line formaking insulating bats;

onto the upper flight of the conveyor 27 so that the mat Figure 2 is across-sectional view of the line at the Figure 2;

Figure4 is an end elevational view of the same;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional viewof the same taken on theline 5-5of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional detail view taken in the plane of theline 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure-4 but withparts broken away andpartly in section and showing the mov able cutting knife in its lowerposition and in one of its lateral relations to the stationary knife;

Figure 8 is a 'view similar to Figure 4 but showing another lateralrelation between the movable and the stationary cutting knives;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional detail view taken on the A line 9-9 ofFigure 2;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the package of the present invention;and

Figure 11 is a diagram of be from one to four feet or more in width andfrom one or two up to eight or ten feet in length; These bats are thenpackaged for shipment.

In describing the present invention, particular reference will be madeto the manufacture of bats of fibrous glass although it is to beunderstood that the invention is applicable to the manufacture of batsof other materials. In the manufacture of glass fiber bats, the fibersare usually formed by flowing molten glass from the forehearth of aglass melting furnace represented at 21 and by means of suitable blowers22 the streams of molten glass are attenuated into fibers as they passthrough a conduit 23 which ends at a conveyor 24 upon which the fibrousmaterial is deposited to form a mat 25. The mat 25 is transferred to asecond conveyor 26 and then to a third conveyor 27, all arrangedend-to-end to advance I the mat continuously in the general direction ofits length.

At the end of the second conveyor 26 a continuous web 30 of sheetmaterial is fed onto the'underside' of the mat. The sheet material ismost commonly paper such as kraft paper but may be any other material,such as muslin. The web may be of a width corresponding approximately tothe width of the mat or it may be enough wider than the mat to bedoubled over the edge of the mat when the mat is packaged.

The web 30 of sheet material is taken from a supply roll 31 and, ifdesired, over feeding rolls 32 and then as it passes onto the conveyor27 from the conveyor 26 is backed by a continuous sheet of paper or thelike.

The mat of fibrous material on the conveyor 27 may be slit into two ormore strips that in turn are cut into bats of the desired size. To slitthe mat there may be one or more rotary saws or knives 36 disposed abovethe conveyor and spaced apart desired distances crosswise of theconveyor. These knives are driven in any suitable manner and may be setto cut through the mat but not through the backing sheet, or may be setto cut through both. In rear of the knives 36 in the direction of travelof the mat there is a station 41 at which the mat is cut crosswise intopieces of the desired length to form the finished bats." The bats withthe backing paper are then rolled as indicated at 42 to form a package43. This rolling may be accomplished mechanically or by hand as desired.

1 At the station 41 the mat is out without severing the the electricalconnections of the present invention.

In the manufacture of bats of comminuted or fibrous backing paper anumber of times and until the number of bats selected to form a'packagehave been cut. At the time that the last bat of the selected number iscut, the paper is also severed and the resulting length of backing papercorresponds to the aggregate length of the bats combined into a singleroll package.

The roll package 43 is illustrated in Figure and is shown partiallyunrolled to better illustrate the bats in the package. The packagecontains a number of individual bats 45 which, in the present instance,are shown in sets of three, one of the bats in the set being of adifferent width. This type of variety of sizes of bats is desired forthe insulation. of appliances such as stoves and refrigerators, wherethe insulation must oftengb'e' in two or more pieces of different sizes.Thesets, of insulating bats are shown arranged end-to-end on thebackingpaper and the bats and paper are rolled tightly into a compact package.This rolling is made possible by the continuous backing sheet, withoutwhich it. would be, verydiflicult if not impossible to gather'thelargenumber of batsinto a compact roll. The package is held in compactly"rolled relation by gummed tape or other conventioiial means. I

While the roll shown in Figure 10 is made up of different sizesofinsulating bats, it can as well be made up of one si with the batsarranged side-by-rside in sets or arranged in a single file end-to-end,which latter arrangementis madepossible in any case merely by slittingthe'paper at the time the mat is slit.

One form of apparatus that may beused in performing the process of thisinvention is illustrated in detail in Figures 2 to 9 of the drawings. Itincludes end frames 51 located at opposite sides of'the conveyor 27 sothat the mat of fibrous material passes between them. Each end frame ismade up of a stationary base 53 and a movable upper part 54 that bymeans of set bolts 55 is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly, withrespect to the direction of travel of the conveyor 27, and that may befastened in adjusted position by bolts 56.

Extending across the space between the end frames is a pair of rollers57 at the forward side of the cutting station and a similar pair ofrollers 58 at the rear side of the station. The conveyor 27 passes overthe upper roller of the pair 57 at the forward side of the cuttingstation, then down around the lower roller of this pair, across thecutting station, and then in similar fashion up and over the rollers ofthe pair 58 at the rearward side of the station.

A lower stationary cutting knife 61 extends across the space between theend frames and is mounted on the stationary bases 53 of the end framesso as to extend across the path of'travel of the fibrous mat with theupper edge of the knife substantially in the plane of the lower surfaceof the mat (Figure 7 )1 An upper movable knife 63 is mounted forvertical reciprocating movement on the upper parts of the end frames.per parts; of .the frameswith respect to the stationary bases allows theknives to be adjusted laterally toward and away from each other to getthe proper slicing action betweerr the two knives.

The upper knife 63 is secured at opposite ends to carriages 66 and'67journaled for sliding movement on polygonal columns 68, one at each endframe and rotatably journaled at their endsin bearings 69 on the endframes. The upper end of the polygonal column carrying the carriage 66is loosely received inits bearing so that vertical position of thecolumn can be adjusted by adjusting the position of a brace '70 boltedto the end frame and having a bearing 70a thereon that closely journal sthe column at a place intermediate its ends. Supporting angles 71 extendacross from the upper end of one end frame to the other and tie the endframes together, Bearings 72 are supported on the end frames The ends,of the and'rotatably journal a drive shaft 73. drive shaft "carry bellcranks 74 provided at their outer ends with studshaftsjti which, areconnected bypittuans The adjustment of the up-,

The drive shaft is driven by means of a conventional.

gear head motor 81 supported on the. angles 71 and having a drivingpulley 82. The pulley is connected by.

V belts to a clutch pulley 83 of a clutch assembly 84 rotatablyjournaled on the drive shaft. The clutch assembly is provided with aroller clutch 85 of conventional kind arranged to' permit over-runningof the pulley 85 normally and to clutch the pulley to a sleeve 86 keyed;

to the shaft when the clutchis tripped. The clutch is a single rotationclutch of conventional type which normally is in unclutched relation.The clutch is tripped.

to bring the roller clutch into clutched engagement and connect theclutch pulley 83 to the drive shaft 73 by means of a lever 88 pivoted atits lower end to the frame. A second lever 89 is journaled at its upperend on the same pivot and has a lug 90 thereon arranged to engage a lug91 carried by the hub of the lever 88. The lower end of the lever 89 isdisposed to be engaged by a collar 92 on a rod 93 slidably mounted onthe frame and connected to the piston 94 of an air cylinder 95.

As viewed in Figure 9, the piston 94 is normally at the left hand end ofthe cylinder 95 and is held there by air under pressure entering thecylinder through a line 96. When it is desired to operate the clutch andcause rotation of the shaft 73 and cutting movement of the knife, theair is exhausted through the line 96 and air under pressure is fed intothe cylinder through a line 97 to force the piston to the left andthereby trip the clutch through actuation of the levers 88 and 89. Inconventional manner the clutch makes one rotation and then automaticallyis shifted to unclutched position, in which position it remains until itis again tripped. After having tripped the clutch, the piston 94 isimmediately returned to normal position at the left hand end of itscylinder, the lever 89 being moved idly by the collar 92 as the collarpasses the lever.

The piston 94 and cylinder 95 are under control of a conventional rotaryair valve 101 mounted on the end frame and having a sprocket and chaindrive connection 102 with the shaft 103 of the lower roll of the pair 57of rolls at the forward side of the end frames. By varying the relativesize of the sprockets carried by the roll and the .rotary valve, thelength of travel of the fibrous mat, between cutting operations of theknives may be varied to sever bats of desired size from the mat.

As previously pointedout, the paper backing 30 is severed only after apredetermined number of cuts of the fibrous mat, with the result thatthere is a number of bats all carried ona continuous backing sheet. Toaccomplishthis, the carriage 66 at one of the endframes and that carriesone end of the movable knife is arranged for lateral movement withrespect to the stationary knife. I

For this purpose, in the present instance, the carriage is movablelaterally on the polygonal column 68 upon which it slides. This isachieved by making the bearing in the carriage substantially larger inone dimension than the polygonal column so that the carriage can moverelative to the column in directions that cause one end of the movableknife to move laterally toward and away from the stationary knife. Thecarriage 66 is held in forward position, where the knives are in closestlateral relation, by plunger-s 106 that engage one side of the polygonalcolumn and are urged against the column by springs 107 seated at theirother ends on adjustment screws 108. Three or more evenly spaced springsare carried by each carriage to exert even pressure over the verticaldimension of the carriage to hold the carriage snugly to the column.

.The rear side of the carriage 66 carries a roller 111 which travels ona cam bar 112 pivoted at its lower endto the end frameand at itsupperend being connected bya a se-sa link 11?: the Pl$lll 1. 4 i l airer 1- viewed fi u es whsnt than n11 M vl'nde th arp a thi i ts r lef l'q @9- t n y-th t e carr a m ves t e a r g to the t i respect to thecolumn 68 against the action of the springs on the carriage. In suchrelation of parts, the upper knife 63 is moved to the left so that whenthe knives come together vertically the cutting edge of the upper knifeadjacent the carriage 66 is spaced a slight distance, say in the orderof A to ,5 inch, from the cutting edge of the stationary knife. When theknives are in this lateral relation, they cut the fibrous mat duringvertical movement of the movable knife because of the considerable bulkof the mat but the thin flexible paper is only deflected from its pathby the descent of the upper knife and is not cut, as shown in Figure 7.With this'construction the end of the upper knife adjacent the carriage66 is moved laterally away from the lower knife and the upper knife andthe carriage 67 pivot about the axis of the polygonal colurnn68 at theother end frame. For ordinary purposes this gives sufficient clearanceacross the knives to prevent .nut ting, of the paper. However, ifdesired, both carriages can be moved by duplicating the roller 111, cambar 112 and piston and aircylinder 114, 116 at the other end frame tomove the carriage 67 laterally along with the carriage After a number ofcuts of the fibrous mat selected in .a manner presently to be described,the piston 114 in the air cylinder 116 is moved to the right (Figures 4and v8.) which moves the cam bar to the right about its pivot andpermits the springs on the carriage 66 to draw the carriage to the rightand bring the left hand face of the column and the right hand face ofthe bearing in the cmriag e 66 into contact. In this relation of theparts, the cutting edges of the knives engage each other in a scissorsaction when the upper knife descends so that not only the fibrous matbut also the paper backing is severed.

it is to be pointed out that when the first bat of a series of bats issevered from the fibrous mat and the backing paper is drawn down overthe knife as shown L in Figure 7, the length of paper or slack neededfor this deflection of the paper from its path is drawn rearwardly frombeneath the first bat. Then as succeeding bats are severedfrom theoncoming mat but without severing the hacking sheet, this slackin thebacking paper is drawn backward stepwise along the series of bats untilthe paper is :finally cut when the'last bat of the series is severed.

The knives are placed into position for cutting the backing paper bycompressed air fed into the cylinder 116 through a pipe 121, and thepiston is moved in the opposite direction to draw the knives out of therelation in which they cut the backing paper by air forced into the,cylinder'through the pipe 122. These pipes 121 and 122 are connected toa four-way valve 124 operated by means of asolenoid 126. The arrangementis such that in one position of the valve the compressed air comingthrough a supply line 127 is directed into one end of the cylinder 116through the pipe 122 and the pipe 121 is vented to the atmosphere, andin the other position of the valve the air from the pipe 127 is directedinto the other end of the cylinder 116 through the pipe 121 and the pipe122 is ventedto the atmosphere.

The solenoid 126 is energized automatically after a selected number ofbats have been cut from the mat. The means for controlling the solenoidcomprises a stepping relay 1410f eonventionaLtype (FigurelO). Thestepping relay operates a tap switch 142 in counterclockwise directionso that it makes contact consecutively with each of anumber of taps (13.taps shown in the present instance). Eachof the taps isconnectedwith acorresponding tap on :rselectorswitch 144 having a switch arm 146 thatmay beconnected to any one of the taps.

A limit switch 1 7 mountedgn the angles 71 is normally in the positionshown in Figure- 11 and is momentarily moved to its other positionupon.eachrotationiof the drive 6 sha t 7.3 by am 8 fi ed to he s a t Conacts 151 Qf lli i fiil swi h ilrfi l W y ,C d lid 5 9 1:52 I normally 15'A 'l l ila so enbid 1551s energized and contactors 1551? are open andIc'ont 155k and 1550 are closed. When the limit switch is actuated bythe cam 148, contactors 152 of the. switch are closed and contactors 151are openedrnornentarily. Upon opening of contactors 151, solenoid 155 isdeenergizlejd and contactors 155a are closed; This energizes solenoidcoil 157 of the stepping relay 141 and inthe ordinary fashion advancesthe tap switch 142 one tap. The switch arm 142 engages a spring-pressedratchet 158 so thatit is held in the positions to which it is moved bythe solenoid 157. Consequently, each time the shaft 73 and the knivesoperate to -sever'the mat, the sw'itchjarm moves upbiie tap. When itreaches the tap that isconnected to thatt ap of the selector'switcheriga ged'b-ythe switcharn'if 1 4 6Ia circuit is completed through thestepping relay sWitc'hQth'e selector switch and the solenoid 161i"Energizanon'ef this solenoid closes contactors 161a,"161b, 161C and1614. The contactors 161a seal 'in the solenoid '161. The closing of thecontactors 161cand'161d energizes the solenoid 126 to set the valve 124in theposition'whereair is "directed into the cylinder 116 thr'ough'thepipe 121 and the piston 114 is moved to the right tdcorrespondingly movethe cam bar 112 and permit the knives to come into the position in whichthey sever the paper backing. Also, upon energization of the solenoid161 and closing of the contactors 161b, the solenoid 166 is encrgiied.This solenoiddraws the spring p'ressed ratchet'1'58 awa'y from theswitch arm 142 to allow the switch arm to be returned to startingposition by a spring 168 onthe hub of .the switch arm. i

As the upper knife blade moves through the reciprocation in which thepaper is severed, the limit switch 147 will, of course, be operated bythe earn 148 on the driveshaft and would in normal fashion causes thestepping relay switch 142 to advance Jone tap. However,

this particular advance of the switch is not desired because it does notcorrespond to the severing ofthe first hat on a continuous backingsheet. To nullify this 'adva-nce, the solenoid171-is energizedmomentarily'bythe closing of the contacts 152 of the limit switch 147stthe time the limit switch is operated by th'edrive shaft. The solenoid171 closes contacts";171'a (contactors155b are momentarily open at thisinstant) .t'o'en'ergiie relay 166 to again withdraw the ratchet 158 andallow the switch arm 142 to be returned-to starting position. 'At allother actuations ofthe limit' switch 147 the closing of contactors 152and energization of the sole'noid" 171 and closing of contactors 171a isidle because the coritactors 1611: are open at that instant. Thecontrolling mechanism -'just described is powered through a transformer176 connected across the line 178 by a switch in the starter 179'-f o'rthe motor 81; The number of hats that may 'b'e'severed before thebacking paper is cut may be from 1 to 13 in the present embodiment,depending uponthe'position of theswitch arm 146 of the selectorsWitch"14 4Q Theleng'th' of the individual bats and therefore the totallength oftlie series of bats having onepie'ce' of'backing' paper thereondepends upon the ratio between the jsprocketsbn tlie rotary valve 101and the lower roll' of the pair 57 of, rolls. The apparatus hereindisclosedis well adapted fo'r forming the process of the inventiori andpermits g at deal of flexibility in both the f the]: Itsandthe number ofbats on a single backing ,sheet, andbonsevq e t v p ov e th mean .o.packag ng. nsmat nsh t an q e i al andeflieientrn'anne'r- V r ou odfica on .m y be -m de with t spiri v of the. invention and. the jscopeofth'e claims.

Weclaim:

h 1399?; tn a p ck ed ano ats an q w its e m a in;the.s ne als1 rectenetitsalength afi'stnea'r continuous web of sheet material, cutting themat transversely of the direction of travel of the mat into a pluralityof bats but without severing the sheet material to form a series ofindividual bats overlying a continuous sheet, and concomitantly cuttingthe web of sheet material and the last hat of the series after aplurality of bats have been cut from the mat.

2. The process of making packaged insulating bats of fibers whichcomprises, advancing a continuous mat of fibrous insulation in thegeneral direction of its length,

continuously underlying the mat as it advances with a continuous web ofpaper, successively cutting the mat into a plurality of bats but withoutsevering the paper web to form a series of individual bats overlying acontinuous sheet of paper, and concomitantly cutting the last bat of theseries and cutting the web of paper after a .plurality of bats have beencut from the mat.

3. The process of making packaged fibrous insulating bats whichcomprises, advancing a continuous mat of fibrous insulation in thedirection of its length, underlying the mat as it advances with acontinuous web of paper, slitting the mat in the direction of travel ofthe mat into a plurality of strips, cutting the strips of mattransversely of the direction of travel of the mat into a plurality ofbats but without severing the paper web to form a series of individualbats in end to end relation overlying a continuous sheet of paper, andconcomitantly cutting the last transversely aligned bats of the seriesand cutting the web of paper after a plurality of bats have been cutfrom the mat.

4. The process of making packaged insulating bats ,which comprises,advancing a continuous mat of fibrous glass in the direction of itslength, underlying the mat as it advances with a continuous web of kraftpaper, ,slitting the mat and the paper web in the direction of travel ofthe mat into a plurality of strips, successively cutting the strips ofmat transversely of the direction of travel of the mat into a pluralityof bats but without vsevering the strip of paper web underlying eachstrip of mat to form a plurality of series of bats with each series ofbats overlying a continuous sheet of paper, concomitantly cutting eachweb of paper and the last of the series of bats after a plurality ofbats have been cut from the -mat, and rolling each cut-ofi piece ofpaper web and the bats thereon into a roll.

5. Making packages of slab-like pieces which comprises cutting thearticles from a mat-like body having a web of sheet material disposedover one face thereof, severing a series of slab-like piecesprogressively from the end of the body without severing the web of sheetmaterial, and concomitantly severing the web of sheet material and thelast of the series of slab-like pieces after a predetermined number ofslab-like pieces have been severed.

6. Apparatus for making packages of bats which comprises means foradvancing a mat of material having a web of sheet material disposed overone face thereof,

means for severing the forward end of the mat as it advances to cut themat progressively into a series of individual bats, means for making thecutting means inoperative to cut the web of sheet material when the matis severed to form the series of bats, and means :making the cuttingmeans operative to concomitantly cut the web of sheet material and thelast of the series of bats from the mat after a selected number ofcutting operations of the cutting means.

7. Apparatus for making packages of bats which comprises means foradvancing a mat of material having a web of sheet material disposed overone face thereof, means for severing the forward end of the mat as itadvances to cut the mat progressively into a series of individual bats,means for making the cutting means inoperative to cut the web of sheetmaterial during a predetermined number of mat-cutting operations, meansthe web of sheet material and the last of the series of bats,

and means for controlling said last-named means and responsive to aselected number of cutting operations of the cutting means.

8. Apparatus for making bat packages comprising, means for feeding ontoone face of a mat a continuous web of sheet material, cutting meansextending crosswise of the length of the mat for severing the mattransversely into bats, the cutting means being mounted so as to bemovable into a plurality of positions, one of said positions causing thecutting means to sever the mat but not the web of sheet material andanother position causing the cutting means to concomitantly sever boththe mat and the web, and means for moving said cutting means into andout of. the two said positions.

9. Apparatus for making insulating bat packages comprising, a conveyorfor supporting and advancing a continuous mat of insulation, means forfeeding onto one surface of the mat a continuous web of sheet material,a cutter movable through a path transverse of the path of the mat and inwhich it severs the mat but not said web, and movable through anotherpath transverse of the path of the mat and in which it concomitantlysevers both the mat and the web, and means for moving said cutterthrough one or the other of said paths.

10. Apparatus for making insulating bat packages comprising, a conveyorfor supporting and advancing a continuous mat of insulation, means forfeeding onto the conveyor to underlie the mat a continuous web of paper,a pair of knives extending crosswise of the path of travel of the matand relatively movable transversely of the mat and coacting to sever themat into bats, one knife of the pair being mounted at its ends oncarriages that are slidable on supports in directions transversely ofthe mat to allow cutting movement of the knife, one of said carriagesbeing movable with respect to its support in directions transversely ofthe cutting movement of the movable knife to vary the clearance betweenthe knives when in cutting position, and means for moving said carriagerelative to its support to move said movable knife into and out of theposition in which the knives sever the web of paper.

11 Apparatus for making insulating bat packages comprising, a conveyorfor supporting and advancing a continuous mat of insulation, means forfeeding onto the conveyor to underlie the mat a continuous web of paper,a pair of knives extending crosswise of the path of travel of the matfor severing the mat transversely into bats, one knife of said pairbeing mounted in stationary position with its cutting edge substantiallyin the plane of the lower face of said mat and the other knife of thepair being movable toward and away from the stationary knife andco-acting with said knife to sever the mat, the movable knife beingmounted at its ends on carriages that are slidable on supports indirections transversely of the mat to allow cutting movement of theknife, one of said carriages being movable with respect to its supportin directions transversely of the cutting movement of the movable knifeto vary the clearance between the knives when in cutting position, meansfor moving said carriage relative to its support to move said movableknife into and out of the position in which the knives sever the web ofpaper, and means for actuating said last-named means automaticallyoperable after a number of operations of the knives.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS854,388 Swift May 21, 1907 1,677,915 Crane July 24, 1928 1,854,481 MuddApr. 19, 1932 2,538,972 Magnani Jan. 23, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 653,195Great Britain May 9, 1951

